Electric motors used in engine cooling applications need some type of mounting feature on the end cap or motor case (stator assembly) to provide adequate fastening to a shroud. The stator assembly is the stationary member of the electric motor. The two most commonly used features are shown FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.
FIG. 1 shows an electric motor 10 where the motor mounting features (to shroud) are conventional brackets 12 welded to the motor case/stator assembly 14. An end cap (not shown) of the motor is at the opposite side to the fan side A. With this configuration, the function of the end cap is to provide coverage to the motor at the opposite side of the fan and to hold a bearing/bushing assembly (not shown) for supporting a motor shaft. However, the end cap does not have structural function with regard to the motor mounting to the shroud.
FIG. 2 shows another electric motor 10′ that is functionally the same as the motor 10 of FIG. 1. However, in FIG. 2, the conventional mounting features to mount the motor 10′ to the shroud are flanges 15 integrated with the end cap 16 that covers an end of the motor case/stator assembly 14.
Conventional motor to shroud attachments are illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. FIG. 3 shows the motor 10 to shroud 18 connection for motor 10 of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 shows the motor 10′ to shroud 18 connection for motor 10′ of FIG. 2. In both configurations, the fastening method is done with a screw fastener 19 or rivet. A conventional fan 22 is driven by the associated motor 10, 10′.
The welded brackets 12 of motor 10 increase the overall cost of the system due to the cost of three brackets and the cost of a welding operation. The flanges 15 on the end cap of motor 10′ increase the overall system cost due to the cost of a larger and thicker piece of material used to make the end cap having the flanges.
Since there is a high demand to reduce the system cost of the engine cooling module, there is a need to reduce the cost of the attachment mechanism of a motor to a shroud.